Biographical Data :

Name :

Ibn Hazm

Period :

994 - 1064

Biographical detail :

Spanish historian, jurist, theologian and scholar of the court of Cordova.

Ibn Hazam developed a simpler piety, which relied solely on ahadith, and jettisoned complex fiqh and metaphysical philosophy. He had many antagonists because of his uncompromising convictions and it was commonly said, at that time, that his tongue was a twin brother to the sword of al-Hajjaj. In 1031, when the caliphate was abolished, Ibn Hazam supported boldly the Ummayyad claimants to the throne, and for which he was imprisoned. But he continued to express his convictions through literary activity.

Ibn Hazam wrote about 400 works on history, ethics, logic, theology and jurisprudence, but only about 40 are still extant. He was one of the leading exponents of the Zahiri school of Jurisprudence, which relied on the literal (Zahir) meaning of the Qur’an and Tradition.